


Hetalia soul mark series: Book II - Bearer of the Iron Cross

by onehetaliaotaku



Series: Hetalia Soulmark series [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Brothers Germany & Prussia (Hetalia), F/M, Hetalia, Historical Hetalia, Nazi Germany
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:14:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22701565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onehetaliaotaku/pseuds/onehetaliaotaku
Summary: Louise is a girl who was forced into marriage with her nation when she turned twenty, after all, during the Third Reich it was always about order right? One night Louise does the unthinkable in order to preserve the life of her husband, her nation. With the help of Gilbert and the White Rose resistance group, she will fight so that Ludwig will open his eyes. Sadly she loses her life, but she proves that she is not afraid to die for her nation's freedom from tyranny.Fast forward to the 1980's and you'll see a girl named Amanda who fights for her dream of becoming a world renowned artist. Working the 9 to 5 daily grind can wear a girl out though and she slowly losing hope of anything good ever happening to her in the future. That is until Ludwig comes knocking one fateful night.
Relationships: Germany (Hetalia)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Hetalia Soulmark series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1609948
Kudos: 2





	Hetalia soul mark series: Book II - Bearer of the Iron Cross

**Author's Note:**

> Song used: Open your eyes  
> Artist: Snow Patrol 
> 
> All Hetalia characters belong to Hidekaz Himuriya. The only thing that I own is the story concept. Please enjoy!

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church  
Berlin, Germany  
1940 

The story that she was told by her grandfather echoed into her mind. At one time she wanted to believe in that fairytale. A country being alive as a human being and then being a brave knight in shining armor that would protect their people from harm. 

That was a different time. Their families had lived in peace and even though they were poor, they were happy to have each other. When the “Führer” came into power, the German girl saw so many of her friends and family change around her. So many of her female friends were already married off at the young ages of 17 and 18. This included her older sister whom she had not seen in almost two years. She saw the male friends she once had become soldiers and get called away. 

Now that her grandfather was gone from this world, she truly felt alone. It was now her turn to be married off to a man chosen for her in exchange for money that her mother and father could use to live with. It sickened her that she was no more than just a pawn to her own parents anymore.

The worst part of it all was that she didn’t know a single thing about the man who had been chosen to marry her today. She was going into this new part of her life almost completely blind. She had heard the horror stories about the wives of these men being only used to make more children of the Reich. Her dreams of falling in love and marrying a prince like Snow White or Rapunzel were fully crushed the day that her father had told her what was to become of her. 

Louise Heinz stood in front of the long mirror in the dressing room and stared at herself in the mirror. Her mother stood behind her and was tying her long blond hair into beautiful braids that held crimson red ribbons. The look in her mother’s eyes was apologetic as it had not been her wish to have either of her daughters be forced to marry this way. 

“Look at zhe bright side kleine blume (little flower), zhe mann jou are about to marry is a handsome one und he is a high-ranking officer” Mrs. Heinz said softly as she was trying to cheer up her daughter. Louise showed a small, but broken smile to her mother and nodded softly. She knew that she would miss her mother’s unending optimism the most. 

The thought was forgotten as the two women heard a soft knocking on the door. “Jou two ready Ja? Zhe priest has arrived und everyone is vaiting to begin” Louise’s father called from the other side of the door.

Louise glared a little at the door and then looked up at her mother once more. There was fear shining in her normally crystal blue eyes, but she knew that she had to be strong to make her family name stand true. “Ja I’m coming Vater (Father)” Louise called to her father and then she grabbed the specially made bouquet that was sitting on the desk of the room for her. 

“Vait! I have somezhing important to give Jou mein Tochter (Daughter)” Louise’s mother said as she remembered something special. Her mother pulled out a small box from inside her dress coat and then opened it for her daughter. Inside was an Emerald pendant on a silver chain. 

“Zhis belonged to mein own mutter (mother) and vas given to her on her vedding day. She gave it to me on mein vedding day und now it is time for Jou to vear it. I chose to give it to jou und not jour sister because jou are more responsible of zhe two of jou. Promise mein kind zhat jou vill cherish it und take care of it?” Her mother asked of her. 

Louise studied the necklace for a moment and then she looked back at her mother. She knew that this necklace held meaning to her family, sadly she also felt that this would be the last tangible thing she would have of her mother’s. The German girl nodded softly to her mother. “Ja, I promise mutti I will protect zhis necklace vith my life. Danke for entrusting it to me,” She said softly and then she gently took the necklace and clasped it around her neck. Once the necklace was in place she gave her mother one last hug before she went to the door again. She turned the knob and opened it to reveal her father dressed in civilian dress clothes. 

Louise knew that from this moment on she would be signing her freedom away to the Nazi party. 

Four years later… 

Hitler Square

Berlin, Germany

Winter, 1944 

As soon as the sun began to fade in the German skies the two snuck along building sides and through alley ways. The Albino kept his guard on high, he knew how his brother’s men worked by now. He knew very well that they couldn’t be seen or it wouldn’t end well. Once they were mostly safe from view, the two figures stopped for a rest. 

She slumped down against the brick wall of the building behind them and closed her eyes for a moment. She held conflict in her heart, but she some how knew that this was the right thing to do. She still needed an ounce of confirmation, but she would get it by asking the man beside her. 

“Gilbert…are Jou sure zhat I’m doing zhe right thing? Vhat if he finds out? It vould hurt him so bad…” Louise asked her brother in law quietly. She was trying to chase away the uncertainty that clouded her thoughts, then she remembered the fate of most of her friends and her older sister. 

The Prussian nation turned to her, looking at her with his ruby red eyes for once and then she knelt down so that he could be closer to her height. “Ja, I believe zhat Jou are doing zhe right zhing here Frau. I feel zhe same vay sometimes because zhink about it, I’m his bruder, but I can’t let zhat stop me. In zhe end if ve don’t help him zhen he’ll die or vorse he’ll disappear” Gilbert explained and then he lightly stroked her hair away from her eyes and tucked it back under her cap. “Ludvig is failing at protecting his common people und it isn’t his fault, but if ve don’t do somezhing zhen zhe Nazi party vill be zhe end of him,” Gilbert added and then he slowly stood again and held his hand out to her. “C’mon frau, let’s go save jour husband.”

Louise nodded feeling much better with the confirmation that her brother in law gave her. She didn’t feel so alone anymore, she knew that her heart was telling her the truth. With this in mind she followed Gilbert to the rendezvous point. Tonight, they would make Nazi riddled Berlin burn with the anguish of the white rose. 

The flames flickered in the night air and the smoke grew thick. The sounds of shattering glass, screams or triumph and terror mixed, and the capital city was in udder chaos. Louise had lost sight of Gilbert in the chaos, but his words echoed in her mind. “If ve get separated und zhings grow more wiolent, zhen I vant Jou to go home und be safe. I don’t vant Jou to be captured by zhem.” It was now all she could do as she hid her face under some torn fabric that she was now using as a makeshift cloak. 

She had to weave through gun shots and the maze that was Berlin. Tears streamed down her face, but she knew that this was important. Saving Ludwig was important to her, she loved him and she would do anything to save him. After all, he wasn’t just any soldier who she was forced to marry. Ludwig had been someone that she had loved her entire life. He was her country. 

The German girl finally grew hazy and tired from so much running that she searched for another Alleyway that she could hide in while she waited for the dust to settle. She hadn’t noticed a soldier who had been standing nearby until she heard them shout. “HEY! JOU ZHERE!” Louise felt her heart immediately drop as she recognized the voice. 

Louise ran as quickly as her legs could carry her, but it was no use as she was chased into an alleyway that was a dead end. Quickly she hid inside a trashcan hoping that Ludwig had missed her hiding there and would just get bored and go away. She had no such luck as she heard the familiar voice of her husband and the click that came from him arming the luger pistol he carried with him. “Come out und show jourself or I vill not hesitate to shoot!” Ludwig shouted growing impatient. Louise sadly knew that she had no choice. She knew that Ludwig would kill her if she didn’t comply. 

Slowly she peaked her head out of the trashcan, the majority of her face was still covered. She could tell by the way he held his gun that she was going to have to reveal herself. She felt like her heart was stopping as she slowly uncovered her face to reveal her identity to him. She then raised her hands in the air as a way to show her beloved that she was not armed and she was surrendering. 

The next thing that she heard was the clatter of metal against the cobblestone pavement and the male before gasp. “L-Louise? J-Jour part of zhe vhite rose? but v-vhy? Vhy vould jou do zhis to me?” Ludwig asked, his voice cracking with disbelief. Louise even noticed him blink a few times as if he would get a different view. By the sound of his now cracking voice, she knew that she had just broken his heart. 

“Vhy are Jou so surprised? Jou bruder is associated vith it to” Louise answered keeping her own voice calm and almost cold sounding. She couldn’t break, not now when he needed her to be strong the most.

“I expected zhat. Hitler abolished his land und made him feel vorthless, but not jou! Vhat have I done to make jou turn jour back on me?” Ludwig shot back and then plucked his luger from the ground again. His stance was less rigid then before. 

Louise closed her eyes and took in a breath before she spoke again. As much as she wanted to sob and apologize, she knew that she had to stand her ground, she had to stand up for all of the innocent Germans who could no longer do it themselves. “Jou don’t know do Jou? Vhy Jou come home sick every night, vhy jou suffer from harsh headaches und stomachaches?” Louise answered sharply. She then took a more defensive stance then before, her mouth tightened and her eyes turned to ice, a glare that Ludwig was normally afraid of. “OPEN JOUR EYES VERDAMMT! ZHE PEOPLE JOU SWORE TO PROTECT AT HOME ARE DYING!” Louise screamed and then she shoved a letter in Ludwig’s face that she pulled from her pocket. 

Ludwig narrowed his own eyes and held the luger to her head. “I don’t know vhat jou are talking about traitor! Don’t jou see zhat one day we’ll be zhe most powerful country in zhe vorld? No one vill dare mess vith us. T-traitors must b-be exterminated…” Ludwig growled, but his last statement faltered. His stance also faltered. Louise looked up and then she saw tears coming to his eyes. 

It shattered her own heart to see Ludwig in this state. She had only seen him cry once since they had married and it had been on a night when he was frustrated and lost. She looked into his ocean blue eyes to see him feeling just as conflicted and lost as he had been on that night. She wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be fine again, she wanted to comfort him, but she knew that right now she could do no such thing. He needed to understand that what was happening to him was because of his governments unfair and terror tactical rule. So, the next words she said was her confirmation that she was truly unafraid of death. She was not afraid to die for him. 

“Go ahead Ludwig. Do it. Shoot me, I’m not afraid to die because I vill have done it vith zhe knowledge zhat I helped mine country open his eyes and change his vays before he dies out to.” 

As these words left her mouth the Luger pistol that had been held against her head disappeared and once again clattered to the ground. Instead she felt strong arms pull her into the familiar muscular chest of her husband. She felt him bury his face in her shoulder and his whole began to shudder. “I-I can’t…a part of mein heart knows zhat jou’re right…I can’t hurt mein liebling. Jou’ve never been vrong before, but ve now need to get jou out of here. If one of zhe other men catches jou zhe vill shoot jou,” Ludwig whispered and warned. 

Louise nodded in understanding and gave a weak smile up at him. She lightly stroked his hair and held him close to her for a few moments. The world around them didn’t seem to matter because they had each other. “Ich Liebe dich Ludvig, I vould alvays be villing to die for jour freedom und safety. I’m German first und it’s mein job to stand up for jour greater good,” Louise said and then held out the letter again to him. “Please read zhis vhen jou are alone…it’s important zhat jou see it.” She added and then she leaned up and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. 

Ludwig nodded and lightly kissed her back and leaned his forehead gently against hers. “Ich Liebe dich mein cornflover. Don’t talk like zhat zhough…please. If somezhing happened to jou I don’t know if I vould be able to forgive meinself. Now follow me und ve’ll get out of here,” Ludwig said to her with a serious tone again. He then gently took her smaller hand in his larger one and gave it a small squeeze before he let it go again and then began to lead her away from the alleyway. 

The chaos grew heavier, the sounds of screaming, crying and gunshots were heard in the air. German shouting also filled the air. The white roses were defeated this night, but Louise knew that the hope they believed in would not be stomped out so easily. The German resistance was beginning. The German girl was doing her best to keep in step with her nation and it now made her wish that she had went to train when he had invited the Italian and the Japanese man over to train. 

Another regret she had was the makeshift cloak once she realized that it made her look suspicious. She had tried to call out to Ludwig when he had gotten just out of sight from her line of vision. When she had gotten no answer, she panicked and then got lost in a maze of smoke that billowed from fires that had been started. Louise only paused in her motions of trying to find Ludwig again when she felt herself slam into a hard surface. It was a brick wall. 

She felt the barrel of yet another gun press against the small of her back, the brick beneath her biting into the skin of her stomach. The soldier screamed at her in German. “Du kleine Ratte, hast du gedacht, du würdest fliehen? “ (You little rat, did you think you would escape?). 

Louise closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing again before she held her hands up in a surrendering position. “Mach weiter, Offizier. Tu deine Pflicht und erschieß mich, da ich nur eine verräterische Ratte bin“ (Go ahead officer. Do your duty and shoot me since I’m just a traitorous rat) Lousie retorted. She knew that death was near, but she was no longer afraid. She hoped that Ludwig was safe and that one day her home would heal again. “Es lebe das wahre Deutschland” (Long Live the true Germany). Louise whispered, tears leaking down her face now. 

The only thing she could remember was feeling the cold metal of the bullet race through her abdomen and then she heard a scream come from the distance. She did remember falling to the ground and the only pain she could feel was a pain in her back from falling on it. She was numb to every other ounce of pain. There was only one thing that brought her out of the slow haziness that she assumed came with dying.

“Out of mein vay Jou monster! Vhat have Jou done?” She heard the voice of her husband shout at the soldier. She saw him kneel down next to her bleeding body and then quickly elevate her head into his lap. “Liebe? Louise can jou hear me?” Ludwig’s voice rang out in her ears. Her eyes blinked open as she tried hard to focus and then a weak smile appeared on her face. 

“I’m here Ludvig…I’m alright” Louise said softly trying to reassure him that she was still alive. More and more of her blood began to pool out of her body, Ludwig took notice of this immediately quickly grabbed the cloth that she had used as a hood and began putting pressure on the wound. 

“Nein jour bleeding und jou vere shot! I have to get jou to…” Ludwig started, but he was silenced by Louise using her strength to raise a finger to his lips. She was accepting her fate, she knew that there was no way that Ludwig would find a medic in time, it was over. 

“Ludvig…let me go, it vill be alright Ja? Jou’ll grow to forget about me und jou’ll find another zhat vill make jou happy,” Louise said softly, tears still rolling down her cheeks. She felt herself cuddling closer into his body as she began to grow cold. Her vision was slowly growing dark, she knew in her heart that Ludwig was the last thing that she wanted to see before she left the world.

“NEIN! LOUISE PLEASE! … Please don’t talk like zhat, I don’t know vhat I vould do vithout jou here! I could never just move on or forget jou! Please don’t talk like zhat, I’ll get jou to a medic!” Ludwig begged, but he knew that he was just trying to fight the inevitable. He would make that officer pay for this later. 

Louise then remembered something special and she took her hand away from his face. She carefully removed her necklace from her neck and then she grabbed Ludwig’s hand and placed it there. “It’s ok Ludvig, just promise to take care of zhis for me…bitte? It’s important to my family und jou vill alvays be part of my family,” Louise whispered and then she placed one last chaste kiss to his lips. “I’m sorry zhat I betrayed jour trust Ludvig. I vill alvays love jou” Louise added and then she rested her head against his chest. 

Ludwig was struggling not to sob as he held her close and gently kissed her weak lips back. He clutched the necklace close to his heart and buried his face into her hair. “Jou are zhe legend zhat vill alvays be remembered mein engel,” Ludwig whispered back and then he rocked them gently back and forth with the hope that it would make her last moments with him comfortable. “I vill alvays love jou mein cornflover” He whispered as he witnessed the light leaving her eyes. 

Ludwig gently used a hand to check for a pulse and to his dismay there was no longer the feeling of one. Ludwig knew that Louise had finally left him and with that he began to sob uncontrollably against her body. “Long live the true Germany,” He whispered and then in a flash of anger he laid her completely on his lap and ripped the red cuff on his sleeve off. He looked up at the sky and saw the smoke still billowing in the air, the winds of change were coming and he knew it was time. The Nazi party was killing him and his people, Louise had opened his eyes. 

Ludwig heard footsteps grow closer and instinctively held Louise’s body protectively. No one would touch her, but him. “She vas zhe bravest frau I’ve ewer met bruder,” Gilbert’s voice said softly and then he sat down next to them. Blood stained his own uniform and it was a little tattered, but he was alive at least. “Jou know vhat jou have to do now Ja?” Gilbert asked and rested a hand on Ludwig’s shoulder.  
Ludwig looked over to his brother for a moment and then he nodded. “Ja. I’ll help Jou do vhatever I can, but I still have to appear loyal to him…jou know vhat happens vhen jou anger him.” Ludwig answered, his voice now laced with the venom of resentment for his boss. 

Ludwig sat in silence again after a moment and lightly ran his thumb over the stone in the pendant. If it meant he was going to have to lose the war, he would be willing to do it in order to give his people freedom again. 

All of this feels strange and untrue

and I won’t waste a minute without you

My bones ache and my skin feels cold

and I’m getting so tired and so old

Tell me that you’ll open your eyes 

She felt herself reawaken on a plain wooden bench in a bit of a haze. She looked around her to see only the grey of nothingness at first, but she heard two voices from behind her. She instinctively curled into a ball and looked for the source of the voices. “Vho’s zhere? Show jourself!” Louise demanded. 

Suddenly two figures appeared before her. The first had pink hair and aquamarine eyes, she had hearts on her cheeks and large white wings that protruded from her back. The second figure was a woman with forest green looking hair and yellow eyes, she had a bag slung across her hip and her wings looked like they were made of two giant leaves. 

The second figure spoke first. “Good she’s awake, why is it that when they die of a fatal injury it’s always through the stomach?” She said a bit scrutinizing as she looked closer at her handy work to make sure Louise was repaired correctly. 

This time it was the first figure’s turn to speak. She glared at the second woman and elbowed her a little. “That’s not a question any of us can answer and you know it Bona, now go and let the others know that we may need to prepare for the next one’s makeover period,” the first one said earning a disgruntled nod and then the second woman disappeared. 

Louise looked very confused and jumped a little as the one she guessed was named “Bona” disappeared. “Vait…die? Am I dead zhen?” Louise asked looking at the first figure who gave a sad nod to her. 

“Sadly, yes friend, this does mean that you are dead, but it doesn’t mean that your life isn’t over yet! I’m Aiko, the personification of love. I know everything is going to get rather confusing soon so let me just simplify it a little bit for you with one question. If you had the chance to be with Ludwig Beilschmidt again would you take it?” Aiko asked pulling out her clipboard and creating a pen out of thin air.  
Louise looked a little more confused for a moment, but when Ludwig’s name was mentioned her eyes grew wide. “Y-you mean I-I could see Ludvig again?” Louise asked eagerly and now gave her full attention to the woman. 

Aiko giggled a little and nodded happily. “Oh yes friend, there is a way for you to see him again, in fact you’ll be able to have a new life with him. I should let you read this first though before you make this decision. Once you make a choice it will be permanent, so you must choose your path carefully,” Aiko warned and then handed Louise the clipboard that she had been holding. 

Louise began to read the contract. For the first time in her existence she was getting the choice. A choice that she had been robbed when she had been forced to marry Ludwig in the first place. Though she did not regret the choice she was given, she was finally happy that she could make this choice on her own. 

If you choose to become loyal to Elrien and take this chance at life then you will go back to earth as a different human being. There you will have only 100 years to find your nation and earn their love, faith, and trust. 

“So, if I decide to go vith jou und get a second chance at life, how do I know zhat it vill be vith Ludvig?” Louise questioned as she read over that part of the contract. She didn’t want to make a deal that would make her be full of regret in the end, but the thought of seeing her German again was enticing. 

“I promise you Louise that I will help you in every way that I possibly can in order to help you and him find each other. As the personification of love, it’s my job to help you after all,” Aiko stated sincerely and then she handed Louise the pen she had been holding. “So…what do you say Louise? Want to see Deutschland again?” Aiko asked with a warm and reassuring smile on her face. 

Louise looked off into the distance to think for a moment. She thought about all of the nights that Ludwig had been in pain, all of the times that he needed someone to love him because he thought the rest of the world hated him, she thought of all of the times that they were each other’s rock, and then she thought about the promise that they had made to each other. 

“After zhis var is ower, how about jou und I get married like normal couples do ja?”

“Ja, I would like zhat wery much Ludvig,”

“Really? Ich Liebe Dich Louise!” 

“Ja! I made him a promise und I am going to keep it! Danke Aiko” The German girl said and then she took the pen and signed her name on the dotted line. Within seconds her name shimmered and changed to her new human name. 

Amanda McAllister 

“Alright then! Let’s get you to the land of life so that you can meet Lord Elrien! Once we’re done paying him a visit we can get started helping you prepare for your new life Amanda” Aiko said happily and then held out a hand for Louise to take. Louise nodded and looked back one last time. She was finally leaving her old life behind and ready to head into the unknown with Aiko. 

“Long live the real Germany” She whispered one last time and then she grabbed Aiko’s outstretched hand and followed her away from the grey bench to a new world.


End file.
